Death's Hand
by Cpl.Dutch
Summary: When you had sworn to protect people in life you never lose that oath. Thanas was no different he had sworn his life to the protection of others and to bring evil people to justice. Sword art is no different. Will have cameos from other characters. Rated M for Violence and maybe some sexual situation. Depends on my mood. ;) OC, Sachi, Kirito, Asuna, Lizbeth.
1. Prologue

The beginning.

Sword art online. The biggest game in history, its creator a genius one of the biggest leaps in technology ever the Nervegear rig able to take all the signals from the brain and enable you to feel, taste, smell, see, and hear everything in a virtual environment, with a virtual character. Making yourself a completely new body in essence. Making a completely new life in fact. With the nerve gear anything and everything could happen. And everything bad happened, in an instant. The game that had been the talk of the world just became ten thousand people, their families and friends worst nightmare. In the game you had one simple choice. You could either be good. Or you could choose to be evil. Either path you choose, one you start down it you can never stop.

Daniel was kicking back in his chair reading the latest news about the release of the most talked about VR MMORPG on the planet Sword art online.

Even though he knew almost everything there was to know, he still enjoyed reading about it, excitedly waiting to play his favorite topic of thought, discussion, dreams and game ever... Again.

He was part of the beta test some months ago. And was proud to be one of the only American born people able to play the game especially in its beta form.

2 years ago he moved to Japan from the USA and wanting to learn more about the culture and history and people, And stayed for these 2 long amazing years he has become very fluent in Japanese and was already fluent in English so it made it very easy for them to choose him for the beta.

Since the beta he was dying to get back to his other life.

"Hehe" he chuckled. "My other life"

His life in the real world was not at all a bad one. But since he was a kid he had been wanting to explore a virual world, one not governed by our laws and physics even.

In the United States he was a police officer for a few years. He loved his work as an officer but he loved to study other cultures as well. So much so he went to Japan to learn there lauguage, culture, and history. Just before he was getting ready to leave japan for his next endeavor. The announcement for SAO was released and he was able to join the beta test. It didn't take much effort though they wanted Americans to test the game cause you know we are gamers at heart the lot of us. Haha.

He looked at the clock, five minutes till show time he thought to himself. He looked around at his house and the beautiful scenery, having an aching, uneasy feeling that it will be a long time before he will see it all again.

Shaking his head, dismissing the notion and laying down in the bed he put the nerve gear on his head and relaxed. Waiting till the clock struck 13:00 then said the two words that took him for the world he had been waiting to get back to for months.

"Link Start"


	2. Satchi

Authors note: this is my first fan fiction so it will be kind of gammy. I will be trying to tie in other characters from SAO into my story. This will be a very long Fan fiction hopfully. I will be skipping around on the floors but not as much as the anime did. Just a few at a time. So please enjoy and review. oh and this first one is just a recap of the first day. :)

Opening his eyes he saw the giant coliseum walls of the Town of Beginnings. Sighing contently and swinging a few punches in front of himself he grinned. "I'm back and I am going to own this world!" he thought to himself. Turning on his heels and sprinting off towards the next town. To score the quests with a good amount of col and experience to level up nice and quick, along with a good amount of loot too that is always a plus.

"Hopefully I'm not too late" knowing full well that a thousand others know where it is too nor is it too hard to find. Also he really wanted to get the quests there first.

A new fire opened up in his legs and he shot forward but not even a few seconds later he slams into a girl hard enough to send him flying head over heels over the girl.

"Oh hell damn it, could you watch where yo..." He looked up at the girl that he ran into.

She was an innocent timid looking girl with bluish hair and an average stature for a girl her age and very very pretty so he was immediately suspicious of her thinking she was a guy in disguise.

"Sorry sir..." She said rather quietly and shyly.

He shook his head and got up dusting himself off. "No no it was my fault no need to be sorry" he said politely. Standing up fully he stuck his hand out to shake hers a completely non-Japanese gesture. She cocked her head slightly and shook his hand. "American? "She asked. Smiling slightly pulling her hand back. "

Yes but have lived in Japan going on 2 years now, but some habits die hard." He chuckled bowing as well formally introducing himself. "The name is Thanas.

She smiles and bows back. "And I'm Sachi. Nice to meet you Thanas."

"Nice to meet you too Sachi sorry about ramming into you." Remembering he had a place to be he looked at the Sachi girl.

"Hey I was heading to this place to get lots of good loot, money and exp. want to come along?" He had no idea why he asked he but it seemed the right thing to do since he kind of did slam him into her plus he needed to make some friends never know when you need to make a guild in the future it pays to have make a few friends along the way.

A look of fear crossed her face and she shook her head. "N-no thanks I am waiting on my friends. Thank you though I'll see you around." She turned to go.

"Hey wait want to friend me? You know just in case I want to run into you again?" He smiled and sent the request.

She looked at him and smiled brightly back and accepted. "See you around Thanas"

"See you around Sachi." He grinned stupidly as she ran off. Then he remembered his mission and turned to sprint off still thinking about the cute blue haired girl named Sachi.

-oo-

Bringing his spear around him drove it deep into another dwarf it breaking up into thousands of polygons.

"Damn it I really don't remember all these stupid things being here before" but he continued on cutting, stabbing and slicing through the dwarfs getting closer and closer to his objective till finally the last one fell. Half of his health gone but he quickly drank the health potion he got in a drop.

"Phew that was to close" he exasperated as he drank a healing potion. "Hmm let's see what I got"... "Let's see a new spear sweet sweet, couple of healing items even better... Hmm guess that's it then. Got a hearty amount of col and exp too." He smiled and saw he was already level 2. Nice he thought. Continuing on to the boss room he saw ahead.

"Thank god I'm nearly done" then just when he was about to open the door a blue light enveloped him and he accidentally ran right into who of all people, Sachi of course.

"We got to stop meeting like this." She shakes her head and smiles at him.

"I agree"

"Do you know what happened?"

"Well I know we were forced teleported and I got interrupted in the middle of my quest." He grumbles

She giggles and looks up at me smiling. "Well I hope you get back to it soon." She looks up and sees the flashing system announcement then the entire sky lit up red

"What the hell is going on...?" As the blood like substance drips from the ceiling and a red robed figure is made from it.

"Attention players, I welcome you to my world." It boomed to the now ten thousand players in the town.

"My name is Akihiko kiaba and as of this moment I am in control of this game" kiaba announced stunning everyone in the town.

"Most of you now have noticed that an item is missing from your main menu the log out button." He boomed opening and manipulating a giant menu. Let me assure you this is not a defect this is not a defect, this is how sword art online was meant to be" I felt Sachi grab onto my arm in pure terror as she stares listening to this news.

"You cannot log yourself out of Sao no one from the outside can take your nerve gear off or shut it down, if someone tries to remove the nerve gear a transmitter in the helmet will discharged a microwave signal into your brain destroying your brain and ending your life" I felt Sachi shudder harder and harder at my side I look hard at kiaba and shake my head slowly.

As others call this all bullshit and try to leave the square but I knew it was true I knew this bastard had just condemned us to this game he just sentenced some if not all of us to death.

"Despite my warnings the families and friends of some if the players have taken off the head gear. And unfortunate decision to say the least as a result the game has 213 less players than when it began they have been deleted from both Aincrad and the real world. As you can see international media outlets have round the clock coverage of all the news and the deaths." He says as he pops up windows for the players to see.

"at this point I doubt there will be anymore nerve gear deaths" he consoled the players.

Then he drops another bombshell on the players.

"It is important that you keep this in mind that there is no way to revive another player as of now when your HP drops to zero your avatar will be destroyed and you will die both in here and in the real world, there is only one way for a player to escape and that is to clear the game. And you will have to beat the boss on floor one hundred to clear the game"

At this there were cries of our rage "this is complete bullshit" one cried. "There's no way in hell we can do that" another one yelled.

I look at Sachi clinging onto my arm I could see the shell shock in her eyes she was evident he wrapped his arms around her tightly. Then he spoke again.

"Last but not I have given each of you a gift you may check your inventory"

Quickly I opened my inventory and pulled out the mirror and then he and all 10000 players were engulfed in a blue light. Everyone was turned into their real life self. He looked down at Sachi and was prepared to see a dude but saw the same shell-shocked girl that was curled into his arms.

"I wish you all the best of luck." As he disappeared into nothingness.

"So this is how it is going to go..."

Quickly he picked up Sachi in his arms and started running to the edges of the crowd thankfully he was close to it.

He was kind of frantic because he has seen this before. Seen the chaos that will come from a shock and awe like this.

He broke through the last of the players then heard the noise he was waiting for. A scream.

Then everything happened quickly, people snapped out of there trance slowly starting to come to their séances, then all hell broke loose they all started yelling, pushing, shoving, trampling everything that got in there way.

Thanas knew he had to act fast so setting Sachi down then jumping up onto the highest place he could get to, he yelled as loud as he could, his voice rolled over all the players. The command and volume of his voice stopping them and stunning them.

Having their attention he quickly started to talk.

"Hello everyone my name is Thanas I know you all must be scared so am I but I need you all too please leave here quickly but calmly. But please talk to the people next to you help each other by talking to one another make some friends have some fun it will be alright." Thanas continued to calmly talk to the people, and keep them from causing an all-out riot.

When there was very few people left he jumped down and looked around sadly knowing this was going to result in suicides.

Growling in frustration and raking a hand through his hair, he walked over to the Sachi finding her passed out. Smiling a little in light of everything, he sat down next to her, then pulled his knees to his chest and then lay his head down on his knees. Thinking of the lives that will be lost before the end of this game.

"If I ever find you Kiaba. I will make sure you are put to death for your crimes..." He said, then very faintly he heard something as if it was a whisper in the wind.

"I look forward to it", was all he heard. And he knew Kiaba was the voice.

"See you in hell Kayaba." He chuckled darkly really wondering if he would do just that.

Sachi woke up a few minutes later looking up she saw me at first she was confused. Then realization dawned on her face, then she remembered what just happened. A dark arua surrounded her. He saw all of this in her eyes he saw all the fear that was in this young girl.

That's when her friends all came around the corner and saw her.

"Sachi! Sachi! Sachi! Sachi." They all said in different tones. Running up to her they kneeled beside her.

"Sachi are you okay" Tetsuo asked her.

"Yes… Thanas helped me out a little…" She said.

"Who?"

"The guy over…." She looked up but he was gone. She nodded and thought to herself. Please get strong and protect people like me. Please Thanas. She looked off wondering how she was going to even begin to survive this then curled up into a ball with her friends around her.

-oo-

-A few hours later after the riot-

Thanas sat at the gate to the dungeon of the mission he was on before that joke of a tutorial happened. He wanted to bring Sachi with him but she recovered enough to go with her friends.

He smiled as he thought of her. As he did he got up and went into the dungeon pulling his spear out and swinging it around the dwarfs spawned and he thrusted the spear through three of the damned things. "It's going to be a long game." He sighed. "Better get a head start" he said as he opened the boss room and the boss Dwarf King appeared. "You're in my way." Thanas growled as he lunge at the monster. Its scream of pain echoed as it filled the entire dungeon as it blew apart into a thousand polygons.

"One down, thousands more to go." He sighed grabbing his loot, turning to the exit and leaving.

"This is only the beginning..." He called out. "We will beat this game. And I will find you and I will make you pay Kiaba!"


	3. Kira

Chapter 2:

(Aincrad: floor 16. Hieldem.

Thanas was sitting a pup inside of the main town for Hieldem looking over a good place to go raid and level up a little bit. It had been a few of months since this game had started and we all were trapped here forced to win a seemingly unwinnable game, thousands had already died fighting in this game, but the numbers had drastically fallen since the floor 1 boss defeat.

Thanas was a solo player for now fighting hard to clear this game he had a few friends now but he still liked fighting alone. Today he was going to hit a section of the dungeon that had yet to be explored on this level. And wanted to see if any good drops would happen today he needed a new spear his old trusty spear that he got from floor 12 was getting to be a little too low level and he needed a new one. His battle dress was fine at least till floor 20, he assumed. Leaning back he thought of Sachi again. Who he hadn't seen or heard from since floor 5. He knew she was with her friends but she was a hollow person now and he didn't know if she had changed since the last time.

He stretched as he got up and paid for his drinks and his lunch then headed out. Following the path to the dungeon and looking for anything of value along the way. He was passing through a dense patch of forest when he heard a scream. He looked around and tried to pinpoint where it came from. Again he heard a scream and ran straight towards where he heard it from.

He burst through the brush to see a girl being pinned down by a couple of red Dire Wolfs all of them level 16 and some of them had lost at least half their health.

The girl was at least 18 and was a shield user, but didn't seem to have another weapon to attack with. She had short brown pixie like hair, and was about average height and weight for a girl her age. Her face was cute and was complimented by her hair and green eyes. But she had a terrified expression on her face. She was paralyzed and the wolf's were knocking down her health quickly it was already into the yellow.

Moving quickly Thanas stabbed two wolfs simultaneously with his spear knocking out the rest of their health. The girl looked up at him and was in awe. Most of his battle dress was a black and red mixture its armor more on the light side but still provided adequate defense. He swung around and ran a wolf through as it tried to lunge at the girl from behind then I sliced through another activating a sword skill quick thrusts which allowed me to quickly thrust 3 to4 times at as many enemy's which knocked down the rest of the wolfs to half health.

"Please save me… I don't want to die here…" The girl whispered with a terrified voice that matched her expression.

"Don't worry I will not let anything happen to you. I promise" He smirked at the girl and activated another sword skill. Spear Sweep which swept his spear all around him slicing the dire wolfs as they circled knocking out the rest of their health all of the exploding afterwards into a million polygons.

Thanas kneeled next to the girl and use a healing crystal healing her and also taking away the paralysis.

"There you are, are you feeling okay now?" He ask her concerned.

She smiled and nodded. "Thanks to you I am. Thank you."

He smiled back warmly. "All in a day's work ma'am, what happened here?"

She shook her head, a confused look now on her face. "I do not know… I was fighting these wolf and winning pretty easy when out of nowhere I was paralyzed. These wolfs never effect permanent paralysis just temporary knockback…" She shook her head again. "If you didn't come around when you did…" A look of fear crossed her face.

He gently rubbed her shoulder and helped her up. "It's lucky I heard your scream." He smiled at the girl and offered his hand. "I'm Thanas 25th level spear/ halberd user."

She smiled back and shook his hand. "Kira 20th level shield user, it's good to meet you." She picks up her shield and puts it on her back looking at him. "Why're you here isn't the clearers already up to the next level? "

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly wondering if he should tell this girl why. He shrugged and decided why not. "I was going to explore this dungeon some more it seems like there are secret passages in it that could have valuable loot and money and exp." He considered his next question before asking. "Do you want to come along? I could always use a partner to smooth things over."

She smiles and looks at the dungeon. "I get to keep any items I get and we split money and exp?" She smirks at me and I reluctantly nod. "Alright Ill join you then."

Thanas sends her a party invite and she accepted it with a smile. Without another word they start walking to the dungeon.

"So are you in a guild?" She asks him.

"No I haven't seen one that I would want to join. I'm a solo player for now. I party up when it suits the need but other than that I work alone a lot."

"Why do you do that it seems like it would be a lonely existence." She said lightly. Not wanting to seem rude about it.

"It sometimes does but I try to not let it get to me." He says with a little sadness in his voice. But he quickly smiles at her to lighten the suddenly sad atmosphere. "I've always been a guy to travel alone. I've been that way even in real life." He confesses not completely sure why he was telling this girl.

What was it with this game that made him say things like that?! Confessing things like that to a perfect stranger. They were all victims of this game yes but it still doesn't make since. He sighed audibly and continued walking.

After a good bit of silent walking the girl spoke up again.

"What did you do before you were trapped in here? I was going to school to be a security agent or a police officer or something like that… I want to protect and help." She told him conviction and strength in her voice. He looked at her with a knowing stare.

"You are just like me then" he stopped and looked at the girl. "I was an officer in the states before I moved to japan to learn about its customs and culture." He chuckles slightly as he looks at the girl. "I think this makes us some close friends?"

She smirks at him and punches him in the arm. "The best Thanas, I think we should stop and rest for a little bit and actually get to know each other better. We both need a friend, I'm a solo player as well and what happened over there really worries me. "Concern and carefully hidden fear in her voice.

So the pair sit down not far from the trail and start talking about each other and each others past. Both of them are from the United States and both of them came to japan to learn.

"I came to japan on a student exchange program for college." She told him. "I'm not 18 by the way I just look it. I'm 23 I got the young looking genes from my family." She giggled a bit and looked at him. "What about you?"

"well I'm not an exchange student if that's what you are asking, I came here after I was a cop in the states for about 2 years and have lived here for another 3 I know the language pretty perfectly since I studied it since I got out of high school." He told her as he stared at the sky remembering. "Even though I was a cop for only two years I saw just about everything since I worked in LA. That place has everything you can think of when it comes to crimes." Looking over she was totally vexed by his story. "So it was a ride I do miss it to be honest, but I had to study some cultures or my life wouldn't be complete." Ending his tale he looked over at her and she was nodding.

"I understand completely. I just really wish that we weren't stuck here… I want to be back learning all I can and getting ready to go back to the states to become something so that I can do what I want. This place has put my life on hold and I absolutely hate it!" She blurts out in a rage getting really worked up.

"I miss the friends I made in japan I miss talking to my family I miss everything that my life used to be before this damn game. It's so unfair that we all have to go through this and so many people have to die and never get to see their family's again I JUST FUCKING HATE THIS STUPID WORLD!" She yells out silent sobs racking her body as she explodes and breaks down.

Thanas moves closer to her and gently hugs her and pulls her close, letting her lean on him and letting her get it all out. A silent agreement was made between them right then and there. One that could be felt, it didn't need to be acknowledged by words. They would protect each other, they would always have the others back no matter what.

Sometimes friendships like this are forged in a war. They spring up without warning and would last lifetimes. That is what happened there on that hill.

-oo-

-2 hours later-

Kira had fallen asleep after she had finished crying and letting all the pent up emotions from the past few months out. She woke up about two hours later and stretched she was laying on Thanas's chest while she was asleep and she looked down at him as he was dosing in and out of unconsciousness, waking up at the slightest noise but failed to wake up when she did.

She kind of looked at him wide eyed when she realized where she had fallen asleep but she just shrugged after a little bit. He didn't seem the type to let that go to his head. She thought. She gently shook him and his eyes shot open and looked at her blinking a little too fast and speaking in a sleep slurred tone.

"I washent asleeepppp." He quickly sat up and shook his head clearing out the sleep fog in his head. He looked over to see Kira balled up laughing hard as can be.

"What's so funny" He said to her staring daggers at her. Which set off a new surge of laughter from the brunette. "Oh come on it wasn't that funny" He grumbled but a smile was playing on his face and he knew he lost that one.

Thanas looked at this girl, Erica. In less than a few hours she had gotten into his heart and had rooted herself deep inside. She had done what so many others had tried what he had wanted. She had become as close as if she were his sister, which had lived and grown up with him through the years. He sighed and started laughing with her.

He looked over at her and they both looked into the others eyes. Another silent conversation passing between the two this one more deep and prodding. Both of them looking into one another's souls both seeing what they saw in each other, but also seeing all the differences. He already cared for this girl. She felt the same way, both of them finding a friend whom they could trust whom they could rely on. Both finding one that would last lifetimes.

"Come on Erica, let's get back to walking I want to have this extra area mapped out by night time." He helped her up and side by side they walked keeping close and sharing a few laughs while they tried to map out the area and hopefully find some awesome loot.

Though this was a game of death. They both were gamers at heart and nothing could stop a gamer from getting the best loot there was.

-Oo-

Panting from running as hard as they could both of them fell back against a wall in the dungeon.

"I… Think we lost… it!" He panted trying hard to catch his breath.

"Yeah… I think so too…" Kira panted leaning against him for support.

"That was way way way to damn close" She said after catching her breath.

"I agree Kira. Here have this health potion." Handing her a health potion she drank slowly, he grabbed his own and drank as well. Both of their health bars in the yellow right on the cusp of the red.

"Think we should try that again Kira?" He asked her after their potions had run out and they both had full health.

She looked at him and bit her lip in thought. "Well if we could be more coordinated in our attacks and switches I think we could beat them then get to that room. There must be something awesome beyond that door if there are that many monsters guarding it." She explained to him.

Smiling and nodding." I agree, but you're the one who always got in the way." He teased her.

Rolling her eyes and punching him in the shoulder she got up, helping him up after. "Oh shut up you jerk, you were just as uncoordinated as me." She shot back at him a teasing tone evident in her voice.

He rubbed his arm slightly sore from her punch. "Hey that hurt, you even took some of my health down with that punch" He wined to her.

Shaking her head. "You will be fine you big baby come on lets go and show these guys what for." Walking off back to the corridor where the monsters were, he followed her taking his spear off his back and getting ready.

"Alright you want to take point miss Kira?" He smirked at her as the first monsters spawned in front of them.

"You only want me to take point because you're a baby." One of the monsters slammed into her shield hard but the blow fell on deaf ears so to speak as she didn't move an inch. Pushing it back staggering it and then saying. "Switch!"

"Alright let's get 'em." He rushed forward quickly activating his 3 hit combo rapid advance. Slamming his spear's hard 2 times into its chest then 1 time in its head. The monster losing the rest of its health and bursting into polygons. Then another of the monsters ran forward to engage him.

"Switch!" He yelled and jumped back as Kira took the hit on her shield and pushing back she swung her shield around and slammed a semi sharp edge into the monsters side stunning it more.

"Switch" She said to him. Running up again he activated his other sword skill penetrating strike. He rushed forward quick and with all of his weight and strength thrusted his spear into the monsters chest, with the sword skill it penetrated straight through the monsters chest and body heavily damaging it and inflicting heavy bleeding to it.

With both hands on the spear shaft he planted his boot into the things stomach, then kicked and pulled his spear out of the monster chest. Causing more trauma damage taking the rest of its health away it blowing into a thousand polygons.

"Awesome!" They slapped 5 and smirked at the other. "We showed those clowns."

"We still have like 10 more to go before we can make it to the door remember so shouldn't we wait to celebrate" She said raining on his parade.

Grumbling. "Yeah yeah yeah party pooper." He rolled his eyes at her and she started giggling at him them both rounding the next corner three more of the monsters spawning.

"Let's make sure they know who we are Kira? Let the system know that we are the badasses of this game?" He boasted.

"Let's kickass Thanas." She announced and agreed with him.

They got in position him behind Kira with her blocking with her full body shield as the monsters charge at them.

"Nothing can touch us now." They both said together as the monsters attacks slammed into her shield.

-oo-

(About an hour later.)

Both of them had about half their health left after pushing through the last ten Monsters each one a bit tougher than the last. Finally they made it to the door, it wasn't anything special just a simple wooden door about 7 feet in height and 2 and a half in width the only thing that was weird was it didn't go with the decorum.

"I would have went with a more crystal like door you know, this is just like it was just mehed here. Totally not what I would choose for this setting." He commented. Kira looking at him sideways and just shaking her head.

"You are a seriously weird guy you know that."

"Well I am an American that loves Murdock from the A team. So I think I know that miss Kira." He laughed as they approached the door.

She joined in the laughing and rolled her eyes again at him.

"You are so hopeless you know that?"

"Why thank you." This set off another bout of laughter from the two.

After they composed themselves and brought their focus to the door in front of them.

"What do you think is in here?" She asked him.

"Either one of three things. One, a box of loot for our troubles. Two, an ambush with a crystal nullification. Or three, a secret boss fight. Least that's what I am going with."

"Let's hope it's not two or three." She said anxiety creeping into her cool voice.

"You and me both but if it is either two or three. We just stick to how we handled the monsters back there. We will protect each other." He smiled down at her and gave her a thumbs up and a wink. "We promised each other."

She nodded and smiled. Then focused on the door. Both of them put a hand on it and pushed it open they walked into a very dark room. The door remained open for a couple of seconds then slammed shut scaring them both before the light and fires in the room lit up.

Right in the middle of the room there was a chest a fairly large one. On top of a raised dais. Fires on either side of it.

"You ever play the old RPG console game Dark souls?" He asked her. When she shook her head he picked up a small stone near them.

"There was this thing in the game called a mimic. It looked like a chest, but when you opened it the thing came to life and ate you until you died." He explained.

"Sounds terrifying." She said.

"There was a reason those games were rated some of the hardest games of their generation." He said as he pulled back his arm and activated the basic skill throw and threw the rock hard at the chest.

Instead of bouncing off and a message saying immortal object popping out above the chest a growl was heard coming from the chest and the chest stood two ugly long legs coming out of the bottom. But the chest remained closed.

Two health bars popped up next to the monsters name. The Mimic King

"So this apparently two of my guesses were right" He said tightening his grip on his spear and Kira getting in front of him.

"Congratulations what are you waiting to get a cookie?"

"If you are offering." He smirked at her.

"Oh shut…" The mimic king jumped and did a "High jump kick" type maneuver that slammed his foot into her shield and actually moved her back a foot or two.

"Damn that thing is strong." She complained as she readjusted herself.

"It may be strong but its attack rate is slow it won't attack again for a few seconds." As he said a few seconds later it swung around for a round house kick square in the center of her shield again sending her a few feet back.

"So after it attacks it has a 10 second cool down time before it attacks again. Just make sure you are ready to block when it attacks I don't know how strong its attacks are we already are at half health, so let's try the let's not get it at all strategy." He chuckled as another hard kick slammed into her shield.

"I can hold out even though its kicks are massive they are not meant to cause damage to armor. So we can hold out if we need to." She confirmed.

"Alright let's take this bastard down." And once the next kick it her shield they switched and he opened up with his 3 hit combo slamming the thing 2 times in its chest then another time in its chest head thing area whatever you want to call it.

It did damage no much but enough to let them know it would be a long battle so they steeled themselves for it.

Continuously switching between defending and attacking whittling The Mimic's hp down piece by piece they got it to half health 30 minutes later. When its characteristics changed.

Its chest half opened up and two long grotesque arms came out all covered in some kind of… you know what Imma let you figure out what that is… and its 4 foot long tongue rolled out of its "body".

Its chest mouth had thousands of razor sharp teeth. And the inside of the chest mouth. You could see an eye. A yellow disgusting looking eye that was mad with glee wanting to completely devour the two morsels that had dared to wake it.

Licking its lips the Mimic clapped its hands together, and laughed. Its laugh would have put a psychopath head straight. Then made it ten times crazier.

So as you can imagine it put us a little bit more on edge. And made us take a good amount of steps back.

"I can honestly say I pissed my pants."

"I have to say the same."

The mimic came at us and it slammed its fist into Kira's shield hard then followed with a hard left kick. It paused for a few seconds before it opened it arms wide above its head.

"KIRA GET OUT OF THE WAY!" He screamed at her as he pulled her back as it dropped its arms and grabbed at something that wasn't there anymore, it stunned for a few seconds.

Taking the chance Thanas lunged at the mimic and used his 5 hit combo Hail. Taking affect the skill brought the spear around slicing the chest head across it then brought the spear back around and sliced back across the first cut making an X then he jumped back and slammed the spear 3 times right into the x cut. Finishing that sword skill he activated the penetrating thrust skill. And lunged with everything he had piercing the mimics chest head and into his body inflicting heavy damage cutting its health in half.

Unfortunately just before he could remove his spear the mimic stood up with him still gripping onto his spear. He could see directly into the mimic's ugly grotesque mouth and stared right into the eye.

He could see the maniacal glee in the things eye with the blood lust to match. This thing really wanted to eat them he wasn't going to let that happen. Releasing his grip on the spear he dropped and rolled out of the way Kira taking the chance to get in-between him and the monster

"That was seriously the dumbest thing I have seen you do." She yelled at him. But concerned terror was evident in her voice.

"That was nothing. You should see me on my really crazy days. "You would kill me yourself if you ever saw me being extremely reckless." He smirked at her. Getting behind her as the Mimic released a new round of punches and kicks at her shield pushing her back 2 or 3 feet with each hit.

"This thing is hitting more that was 6 hits." She exclaimed.

"I know it's getting desperate now. We just got to keep our heads in the game and the more hit it dishes out the longer its recoil time will be." He explained.

"You don't even have your spear anymore dumbass." She reminded him.

"Oh right well I next time it does its grabby attack I will try to pry it out."

"Sensational Idea Thanas." She said to him with heavy sarcasm in her voice.

"Why thank you Miss Kira." He shot right back at her.

After another 20 minutes of fighting the Mimic tried grabbing them again. And again they dodged, wasting no time he shot out from behind her and grabbed his spear, but this time there was no long cool down the Mimic looked up and reared back its fist, gripping onto the spear tight and bracing himself.

Thanas was slammed, harder than he ever had been before in his life, in the stomach and was sent flying across the room. The force was hard enough to help him pry out his spear from the monsters head and body. But sent his health into the red with the impact to the wall putting his health at less than 2%.

Weasing and panting and trying to get up off the ground he heard Kira yell out his name. Looking up he saw the Mimic running at him looking like a seriously way to skinny (And horridly disgusting) football kicker ready to kick the winning field goal.

So this is how it will end will it? Hmph, this seriously blows. He thought to himself just before a flash and an impact slammed into him pushing him back against the wall hard sending his health down to below 1% but he was still alive and Kira was in front of him taking the kick to her shield, but she wasn't able to get it into full position, so the kick bounced off the shield and slammed her in her chest her health dropping to just inside the red.

"You lucky bastard! You are so damn lucky I am here to protect your ass, because your stupidity astounds me how the fuck have you survived this long…" She berated him hard but was cut short by a savage punch to the shield this time in the full position.

"Yell at me later about how I am an idiot and a jerk. Kill this stupid thing now. Give it all you got." He ordered her as he picked up his spear and charged his 5 hit combo again slicing it and stabbing it, while she used the edge of her shield to slice and hit it all over its body.

And then both of them got behind it and activated one last sword skill, for me, The Rapid Advance Sword skill. For her, the Defenders Rush. They both let the skills activate and slammed the Mimic with everything they had. Causing the monsters health to hit zero and burst into a thousand polygons.

"After seeing that things ugly face, that is the most beautiful thing I ever have seen" He said as he looked over at a triumphant smile on his lips.

"I agree with you Thanas." Smiling a tired but relived smile, she threw her arms around him and hugged him quickly, then not to hurt him to much she let him go and flicked him hard on his head.

"OW!" He exclaimed rubbing his head. "That hurt."

"GOOD!" She exploded at him. "If you ever scare me like that ever again and get that close to dying again I will make sure your life is a living hell forever! Do you fucking understand me Thanas, I swear to god I will finish you off if you ever scare the living hell out of me like that again!" Anger, fear, and concern plastering her face and her voice, but mostly anger.

"I am so so so so sorry Kira!" He clapped his hands together and bowed a little to her. "Please forgive me okay, I never meant to scare you like that please believe me." He pleaded to her wondering what she was going to do to him after this.

After nothing happened for a while he looked up at her wondering what he was going to see. And all he saw was her looking down at him. Some tears in her eyes but her face not betraying her like her eyes were.

Thanas stood up and walked over to her and gently hugged her.

"I'm so sorry Kira, Can you please forgive me?" He asked her in a soft voice. Then let go and looked back at her.

Gathering her failed voice. "I-I-I forgive you. But I swear next time!" She raised her shield up and he flinched back and nodded quickly.

"I understand I understand! It won't ever happen again!" He quickly promised.

"Good Now let's see what we got."

In the mixed of all the yelling and tears. He had forgotten they just defeated a boss. Looking at the pop up in front of him he saw that he got the last attack bonus and also got around a quarter of a million col, enough experience to raise him from level 21 to level 23, with some healing items and a new spear.

Since in dark souls when you killed a mimic they gave you a special weapon.

"I got the last attack bonus." He said aloud and showed it to Kira.

"Lucky!" She groaned. "Well what did you get?" She asked impatiently

And with that he opened the item box.

"Champion of Justice set." He said as he opened up the item. "These gauntlets are part of that set and when they are all together they give a major boost to Stealth, Agility, and tracking of any target. Also it says when all of the items are paired together, a skill is unlocked. That is so cool. It shows that there are 7 pieces to the set, cloak, facemask, chest piece, gauntlets, greaves, shoulder pauldrons and a weapon, but it doesn't say what kind of weapon it is."

He equipped the gauntlet and looked at it, it was simple, and it was all black with some metal plate on it running the length of the forearms. With metal finger guards and hand guard. But it was very light weight. And the metal was a lighter black than the glove but still wouldn't bounce much light.

"I can see why it would boost stealth that is some serious black. I love it!" He exclaimed.

She smiled at him and looked at all that she got, she got the same amount of col and exp. putting her to level 23 as well. And she also got a brand new shield that looked more for attacking since it had a razor sharp edge and a sword looking bottom, but still could block major damage.

"This new shield is pretty awesome." She told him as she equipped it.

"Oh yeah the mimic gave me a new weapon too." He took a look at the new spear, it was a winged spear like his one now but it was called. Doragonsureiyā or simply Dragon slayer. Its handle was gold with a place for the hands a 1/3 of the way up it and 2/3's of the way up, with its wings up near the top with the spear head. Its spear head long and narrow with an X appearance with what looked to be a pearl looking metal.

"Wow this is one very ornate spear… I'm kind of afraid to use it in battle."

The spear was just as long as he was tall but one head higher. It was short in some ways for a spear but it was just the right length for close quarters. And he really was afraid to use it in battle since he didn't know its stats.

"So this either could be a very good weapon for me. Or it could be a glass cannon." He said thinking aloud.

Kira smiled and rolled her eyes at him using one of the crystals she got on him then used one on herself.

"Come on spear boy. Let's get out of here and get some rest. It has been a pretty long day."

"I have to agree" He said as they walked off out of the dungeon.


	4. Raven

(Floor 20-The Sunshine Floor.)

"I love this floor!" Thanas yelled out as he fell back onto a hill just behind the town called Ramos. The town was very simple, open and spacious, a farming town. Fields of flowers, and crops, farm houses.  
>"This place is so beautiful." Kira agreed.<p>

It had been a few days since they got to floor 20 and it was quickly becoming one of the player's favorite floors, because of its simplicity and openness along with its monsters being pretty good col droppers. Everyone loved being on this floor.

The floors dungeon had been nearly cleared and the boss door was already found, but the Assault Team, as the top clearing guilds and strong solo players were now calling the front lines, had declared they wanted people to take a 2 day break since they had been blasting through the floors for months now without a break.

Not wasting the chance, Kira and Thanas took this time to wander the floor and see its natural beauty and see if they could find more pieces to the champion of justice set that Thanas had started.

Since his fight with the Mimic Thanas had gotten ahold of the greaves for the set. People didn't know what the set was nor did they really care, since apparently these people had never played an RPG before. Apparently neither had Kira.

"So what is so special about this set Thanas?" She asked him as they were walking towards a low hill east of where the town was. She had gotten some new armor since the mimic fight.

Armor that was full plate on all its extremities, she said it wasn't heavy and that she could move very well in it, and she seemed to move with ease in it.

I wonder what her strength level was. Thanas mused in his head before he actually heard what she asked.

"Have you ever played an RPG before?" He leveled with her looking at her with an exasperated look.

"No I really hadn't before but I wanted to try one out so that is why I got SAO." She said matter of factly.

"Well in most RPG's you try to get the strongest armor and weapons that you can so that you wouldn't die all that much or die at all putting lots of things at less of a risk. And sets are among some of the most powerful armors you can get. Even very low level sets can last you through out an entire game." He explained as they sat down to take a break.

"Sets compose of many different part of armor, the armor part usually are not all that special if they are alone, they could easily be replaced for something that is way better or even of the same level as the set piece. But if you get two pieces of a set a secret bonus will start to show itself, then it when you get 4, 6, 8, etc. depending on how many pieces there are, the bonuses will get better and better and when you complete a set, all bonuses will unlock and you now have some of the most badass armor in the game."

Kira took it all in and nodded. "So you are determined to get this set cause of these bonuses, so you can clear the game easier?" She asked him and looked at him tilting her head a little.

"Yes that is basically it. Also I just like to see what some sets look like, and since this one is called champion of justice, it sounds like a very awesome set to have." He said to her, but with a bit of confusion on his face.

"But?" She said

"But when I think champion of justice I think of gold, blues, purples Exuberant colors. Colors that make you think champion or royalty not black, red and silver. This set is a real mystery and I really want to find out what it is, and why a weapon is part of the set. That usually doesn't happen or is very very rare when it comes to RPG's." He rambled on sighing after he was done and laid back looking at the sky, Kira leaning back on her hands and doing the same being quiet.

"Sorry about me rambling. I get like that when I don't understand something or I'm trying to figure it out." He apologized.

"It's okay Thanas, I find it cute when you ramble like that." She tease him.

"Why thank you oh so much Kira." He said while rolling his eyes.

"So do you think there will be another piece of the set here on this floor?" She asked him. Wondering if he thought this entire trip was a waste of time.

"I don't know, last piece I got was from a merchant cause a sap didn't know what he was selling, but I see things differently than most and since this floor is the complete opposite of this sets personality. I just thought we'd give it a shot you know." Shrugging as he stood up then brushed himself off and helped Kira up off the ground.

"So this entire day could have been wasted the…" She pouted at him.

"Well I wouldn't call it wasted, we got to see an extremely beautiful floor." He smiled positively looking at her she gave him a cold stare. "Uhhh or n-not" He shuddered a little, as he cowed back from her.

This of course looked funny to Kira, but she tried to stave off the giggles but couldn't help herself, then burst out into laughs. Making Thanas squint his eyes at her. Which just made her laugh even more at him.

He finally cracked a smile after a few minutes and laughed with her after. Both of them looked up at the sky from where they were standing. Just taking in the day.

"Thanas?" She asked him, her voice was low. Kira looked down at the ground.

"Yeah? What's up Kira?" He said, wondering what was making her act like this.

"Can I ask you about your life in the real world…?" She asked looking away, scared he would be angry at her for asking about something as sensitive as that.

He looked at her and rolled his eyes smiling at her. The silly girl was acting as if he was going to stab her because of her asking this.

"Sure but let's get back to the town and get some lunch I didn't relies the time till just now. Then I answer any questions you have." He told her his smile never wavering.

She smiled brightly at this, she really wanted to get to know more about this man she had been spending all her time with as of late. Since floor 16 they have been inseparable, fighting together in a party and staying in the same hotel.

"But you have to tell me all about your life as well." He pointed at her to emphasize, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Okay, I'll tell you anything you want to know." She said smiling all the while.

-oo-

(One hour later in Ramos)

They were in his room inside the hotel, both with full stomachs and questions buzzing in their minds. Thanas was seated on his bed and she was next to him twiddling her thumbs kind of nervous about asking him about his life, and slightly scared too.

"So ask away Kira, what's your first question?" He said to her leaning back and stretching out on the bed.

"Well, how about how old are you? You said that you moved here from the states and that you were also a police officer, which means you have to be over 21 right?"

Thanas chuckled a little nervously. "Well I am over 21 but I was a volunteer police officer since I was about 18, I helped the officers in there more community jobs and I sometimes road with them too. I loved being in the force, it gave me a since of pride to be able to protect and serve those people. Even if they never really cared for me or for any of the officers I became friends with." He sighed thinking about the old time.

"When I was about 22 I moved from the US to here in Japan to study its culture people and language. I've been here for 2 years and it has been some of the best years of my life. So as for the real question imp 24. I'll be 25 in about 4 months."

He smiled at her and then he asked. "How old are you Kira?"

"Well I just turned 19 this past month actually."

"WHAT! Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday I would have gotten you something, or threw you a party?"

"No, No, No," She said while she waved her arms and hands in front of her at him. "Its fine Thanas I didn't want you spending any extra col on me. You already help me out with expenses."

He smiled and rolled his eyes at her, a gesture that had more affection in it than scorn.

"Kira, you are one of my closest friend, if not the closest friend I have. I like spoiling my friend when I have the extra money to do so. It's how I can show my affection, getting them things that they really like and enjoy." He moved closer to her and put a hand on hers.

"Come on lets continue the questionnaire." He said to her.

She looked down at his hand on hers then back to his smiling face. 'This man is so kind and gentle' she thought. 'He hardly ever thinks of himself, and always puts others safety before his own. I'm so lucky to have him.' Her thoughts started wandering into the more… intimate side of her mind and she shook her head to quickly dispel those thought.

"Alright next question" Smiling at her he asked her to continue.

"U-u-hhh alright." She said stuttering a little.

For hours they asked each other about the others life, asking about family, girlfriends and boyfriend, what they did in school, what embarrassing things happened to them in all the years of being in school.

They talked about what they wanted to do outside of this game how they both wanted to travel the world and study every culture. Who they missed and who they knew would be by there sides while they tried to beat this death game.

After what seemed like forever they stopped talking, Kira had lain down on him and he had his arm around her both of them stared at the ceiling until he heard her breathing turn deep and slow with sleep. Smiling down he pulled a cover over them both and closed his eyes as well.

'I wonder what will happen between us.' He mused in his head, wondering if things would turn more romantic between them. On a level he hoped it did, but on another, deep inside his mind and heart was the scares of all the people who had left him. He never turned anyone away who wanted to be in his life, but he was always scared they would disappear like all the others before. Shaking his head slightly he put his mind to rest for the night shutting out all thoughts which helped him fall to sleep a few seconds later.

-oo-

It was about 7 in the morning when they both got up. Kira left his room to change out of her cloths and into her battle attire. It may seem weird that she does this since they practically sleep together every day, but she is the kind of girl who doesn't like to be seen changing just the usual.

He smiled as she left and he got ready himself putting on his armor and his few pieces of the set. He had two of the pieces now, which strangely enough also meant he had two friends now. He sighed thinking of the other girl.

He had met the other girl two weeks ago, there friendship wasn't made out of the fires of war, or him coming to the rescue, but more of a normal relationship sort of. As for the armor piece, she had helped him with that.

(Two weeks ago floor 14)

Thanas had decided to head to floor 14 since most of its monsters were flying and were only able to be brought down by thrown weapons, most people really didn't want to try to level up there throwing skill since it would take col to buy the throwing supplies, like knifes, picks, or spears. Whatever you thought would be the easiest.

Most of the stores on floor 14 had these supplies so it was the perfect place to train it and Thanas wanted to make this his secondary skill.

Throwing weapons are hard to train because of the amount of col you have to spend to get the supplies and keep yourself stocked, most people used the small picks that you throw they were cheap but the weakest of all the thrown weapons.

Thanas stood in front of the town store that sold most of its throwing supplies, he had just bought a quiver so that he could hold the throwing spears he was buying. It could hold at least 10 of them, he hung it on himself right at his waist on his back, the opening facing his right side, and it's closed dipping down to where it was hanging at a 30 degree angle. So that it would be easy to grab another spear when he needed it.

The spears weren't all that big, maybe 2 feet in length, there blades made to have as much penetration power as a bolt from a crossbow. It was a simple look for them but he liked simple, anything to flashy and stuff just became too damn unnecessary.

Smiling as he looked himself in a mirror that was near the store, said thanks to the npc store owner who responded with your welcome and please come back anytime. Honestly the system that ran this environment made everything so damn awesome sometimes.

He walked out of the store when and saw this young girl walking to the store he was in, she was lightly armored and covered in a cloak hiding her face and her stature. 'Hmm wonder who she is…' he thought since no one really ever visits this floor on account of the flying monsters being almost impossible to kill without thrown weapons.

She looked up and he was able to tell she was in her teens maybe around 16. She looked at him with the same quizzical look on her face, wondering the same thing about him that he thought of her.

"Who are you?" She asked him bluntly. "And why the hell are you staring at me like that?" She shot at him.

"Well you get right to the point don't you girly?" He said his posture and tone changing to that of a Teenager talking to another one that is already getting on his nerves.

"I don't like unnecessary banter." She said her tone one with a lot of resentment and venom.

"Wow, you really don't like talking to people do you?" He said his tone getting to where hers was very fast.

She stared at him for a long time, the defiance and scorn in her was matched by his. After a few minutes she sighed

"I'm sorry, most of the time when guys stare at me like that its cause they are looking down on me. And I don't take that." She said to him looking him in the eye. But again she sighed and stuck out her hand. "I'm Raven." She told him.

He shook her hand and smirked a little getting a half way decent response from her.

"I'm Thanas nice to meet you, so mind if I ask why you are here. This place is usually abandoned." He asked her going back to his original thoughts.

She let down her hood and opened up her cloak to show him her banderol and knife belt, both almost empty. But had a few knifes in one. But he also took note of her look she was cute in the face, her hair was medium length and dint go past her shoulders, it was a dark purple and was mostly pushed to one side of her head. Her eyes were a sea green which went well with her hair. And her attire was made for stealth and speed, along with concealment, but he could see that she could probably put 3 of those knifes into him before he could get his spear off his back.

"I come here to train my throwing skill and buy myself more knifes. What about you?" asking the same of him.

Thanas shows her his quiver filled with spears, smirking at her. "Same as you except me really don't use knifes. Spears are more my style."

She shook her head and looked him up and down. "You seem like a very weird guy. Except for some reason I seem to like you." She said again being very blunt with her words.

"Hmm you really don't beat around the bush do you? Mind if I ask something of you?" He asked her crossing his arms.

"Sure why not what do you want?"

"Mind showing me a thing or two about throwing? I know that the System helps you in hitting the target but I like being able to do things without using the systems help." He asked her lowering his head a little.

"What makes you think I know anything that can help you out? I use knifes not spears." She challenged him, but he could tell she was considering it she was just giving him a hard time of it.

He looked up and smirked seeing that she was doing the same to him. "Because you seem like someone who could handle herself, and I have also seen you on the front lines before." She was startled by this most of the time on the front lines she made sure to not be seen even when they were doing a boss raid.

"How the hell did you see me?!" She exclaimed completely shocked at what he said.

"Because I am the kind of player who seeks out the unseeable. I don't like when there are too many unknowns. So I look pretty hard and keep my senses sharp." He explained to her. "Also I used to play a lot of shooting games so looking for hidden people like snipers or assassins was a daily chore I was known pretty well for never falling into an ambush, and always was feared by snipers."

"I see then I guess it shouldn't be a surpise then…" She pouted a little becoming a little pissed at herself for being seen.

He saw her expression and tried to make her not be mad at herself.

"But you are one of the best I've seen so far, it took a little while before I had spotted you, usually it takes me less than a few seconds to pinpoint a person's location, it took me more than a few minutes to spot you." He said laughing a little awkwardly and rubbing the back of his neck.

She just gave him a cold stare and sighed. "Ill teach you what I know, hell maybe you will become a half way decent thrower if I teach you, but don't get your hopes up" She said as she walked into the store, then came out a few minutes later with her belts full of knifes.

"Come on I know a good place for you to practice." She ordered him.

"Alright I'm coming." He said running to catch up with her. "So before we start any of the throwing part. Anything you can tell me before hand?"

Again she sighed keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"When you are throwing it's almost no different than shooting a gun or firing a cannon, you have to be accurate and have to aim for a place that will make your target not move around much. If they are walking or running or in our case flying, you need to lead the target enough to where they will run into the path of the spear or knife. That is one of the hardest parts of throwing is hitting a moving target." She stopped and turned to him his face attentive and listening to everything she has to say.

"Like I said just like shooting with a gun, just a much slower moving thing than a bullet. Since you are just starting you need to be within a 30 meter range to get a good hit. And since you have fired guns and other things like that you should know those basics. Just instead of a firing mechanism separate from your body, your body is the mechanism. Your arm and back, the action, hand the magazine, eyes the sights, everything on you is part of the gun. But you are more versatile than any gun because a person can change the direction of a thrown object very easy." She explained in great detail to him, he looked at his hands and arms thinking of them as a gun, he could do that. It actually made a lot of sense since she put it into words like that.

He grabbed out a spear and held it like he think he would and primed his arm aiming for a tree. His eyes selecting a spot just in the middle of the tree, and his hand holding the spear tight. The way he must have been standing must have been funny because the scowl on Ravens face was turning up into a smile and he could see her body shaking as she put her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh.

"It can't be that bad can it?" He asked looking down at his stance, it looked right at least.

"You are too ridged. Too tight loosen up and relax your stance, and keep your arm relaxed until you're ready to throw" She walked over to him and changed his position kicking his feet and moving his body also moving his grip on the spear. "You need to hold it at the center of mass so that the spear is perfectly balanced. So that when you throw it, it won't wobble all that much in the air and hit your target right where you want it." Explaining it to him while she moves his body. "Also you might not want to throw it at a tree as it would just get destroyed and you would be a spear out."

"But won't I lose the spears anyway if I hit a monster?" He asked her.

"Well yes and no, you see if you hit a monster in just the right spot your spear will be intact and will be given back to you in the item drop, but if you hit it say in a hard bone like the skull or tail bone, it will be "broken" and will be deemed irretrievable So as long as you don't hit it in any hard bone, you should be fine." She told him smiling a little bit now she slapped his butt and walked away. Making him blush hard and made him fumble a bit before he recovered.

"You are such a strange girl you know that?" He said seeing a couple of flying monsters floating around about 20 meters ahead not really paying attention to the two.

"Yes I know, that's the way I like it. Now you take out one I take out the other." She said and took out a knife flicking it around in her hand completely confident in her abilities.

"Alright, here we go." He set his sights on the one on the left and when he was certain he could hit the target he pulled back his arm then with a powerful throw he let threw the spear, it arced along its path and slammed the creature right behind his shoulder a place where you aim for when your hunting with a rifle. The creature cried out and fell promptly exploding into a thousand polygons when it hit the ground. The second one was hit with two knifes right after his burst into polygons and did the same.

He smiled at raven in triumph and she raised her hand to give him five.

"Nice throw, you aren't half bad. In a couple of years you might even be able to get to my level." She complimented/dissed him. But she smirked at him in a more affection than her words had.

"Thanks raven you are an amazing teacher." He said to her a smile on his face. "Hey can I ask you something else?"

She tilted her head a bit. "Sure what's up?"

"Want to friend me? So If I ever need any advice I can contact you?" He said, using the advice gag to have a reasonable excuse.

"You could just say, 'so that I could see you again sometime'." She said putting her hands on her hips doing a bad imitation of his voice.

Sighing and then laughing a little, as he rubbed the back of his head. "Alright so that I could see you again sometime."

Smiling at him she quickly opened her menu and flicked through it. Then a friend request came up asking him if he wanted to friend her. Which he accepted.

She looked up at the sky and sighed. "It looks like It's time to call it a night." She said.

It had gotten pretty dark since they met up, he looked at the time and it was almost 10 o'clock 'OH SHIT' he thought 'Kira is going to kill me.'

"I need to get going to, it was nice meeting you Raven I hope we can team up together again sometime." He said this as he waved at her and ran off to the teleport gate, so he could get back to floor 18 and the inn that he and Kira were staying at.

Raven looked on at the guy and smiled, he was such a weird guy and she knew that she would miss him, she waved as he ran off. 'I can't wait till we can team up again' she thought to herself as she started walking back to her house. Then she remembered something.

Thanas had just about got to the teleport gate when he heard someone shout his name.

"THANAS!" He heard as he turned around and saw Raven running to him.

He stopped and waited as she ran up panting because she ran so hard.

"I forgot to ask you something it's about those gauntlets you have. I've seen something like them before. At one of the shops that are on this floor. It was the same shop that we both bought our supplies. I was surprised you didn't see it." She told him looking closer at the Gauntlets.

"What? I didn't see anything like these in the store… "He said looking at his gauntlets.

"Yes I know that I saw something like those come on." She said and started running to the store with him on her heels.

'Kira is really going to kill me because of me being out so late without messaging her.' He sighed but continued to follow Raven.

"Here" She said and they entered the shop. And exchanged pleasantries with the NPC owner. Quickly she went through the shop menu and then flicked it over so he could see.

"Champion of Justice greaves." He said aloud not believing what he saw, why the hell were they in a shop like this and how the fuck did he not see them. Quickly he checked the price and they were about 20,000 col. He kind of whistled but bought them quickly, leaving him with about 5,000.

"Those are part of a set I am assuming?" She asked him as he put them on. Checking them out.

"Yep I just don't know what kind of rewards are given. I need 3 pieces to figure that out. This makes two." He looked down at his feet and lower legs, they had the same black red and silver styling as the gauntlets. But the red and silver were hardly noticeable. The greaves went up to just below his knees, and had the same kind of metal that the gauntlets had, thin but strong looking material that wrapped around the entire leg then went down to the ankle and covered the top of the foot and toes, of the boot underneath.

"They fit you I guess both you and it are weird so it fits." She said in a completely serious tone.

This derailed him and he looked at her with an exasperated look on his face.

"You know you could compliment me without the diss."

"Yes but then I wouldn't see the hilarious faces you make." She said to him.

Sighing he straightened up checking the time it was almost 10:30. "Shit! I really have to get going now. I will see you later Raven." Again he ran off and got to the teleport gate waving goodbye to Raven he teleported to floor 18.

Where he was met, at the teleport gate mind you, by a very pissed off and worried Kira.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!" She exploded at him her hands on her hips and her entire body leaning forward making her seem to tower over him with her rage.

He coward back and held up his hands laughing nervously at her trying to think of a good excuse, and like an idiot. He told her the truth.

"Well I was kind of with another girl you see…" He stopped himself way to late and before he knew it he was flying because of a punch from a very pissed off and jealous Kira.

'Shhhhiiiitttttt why do I have to be so stupid sometimes!' he thought just before landing hard against a statue. Head first

**A/N: This chapter just came out of the blue, of my mind. If you cant tell I really don't ever plan these things out much. So I can shoot out chapters faster so long as I have the right thinking line. For a few more chapters you will meet other characters that are central to the story, so please have fun and enjoy meeting them. ;) **


	5. Bonding

_Looking up at the sky he saw the sky outside of Aincrad's domes. It was beautiful, he could see the stars even though it was daylight because of the altitude of the floating castle and it being the hundredth floor. _

_ "Finally we are here Kira." He said smiling and looking over at his partner. When she smiled back at him he saw a sword pierce straight through her heart, then he looked to the other side of him where Raven was, she was cut in half. _

_ Standing ten feet from him and his dead friends was a player then another and another and another. All of them SAO players but all of them had a psychotic smile on their faces, each one of their blades were soaked in blood. _

_ "Looks like you're the last one left, Thanas." The leader of the murders said his voice ominous, deep, devoid of all emotion for what he just did. His friends both gone from this world when they were so damn close to leaving this death game._

_ "Come on then what are you waiting for come and finish me off. Come and Fight!" He screamed at the murders. _

_ All of them smiled and started to disappear. _

_ "No, NO, NOOO COME BACK HERE Finish me off! KILL ME!" He screamed at them then looked down seeing his friends. There body's contorted and bleeding their faces looking at him and saying. _

_ "How could you let this happen… how could you let us die…" _

(Floor 19)Ralberg.

Screaming at the top of his lungs, Thanas shot up into a sitting position. Then he hugged himself, he could feel how much he was sweating and he could still see the bodies of his friends, dead unmoving. Cursing him for letting them die.

The door burst open to his room and Kira was in the door way, her shield ready until she saw Thanas. Looking at her with an expression of pure terror, and unbelievable sadness.She saw as the tears slowly fell from his eyes and instantly dropped her shield and threw her arms around him pulling him close and gently petting his head.

"Kira… it was so horrid… I couldn't save you… I..I.." He threw his arms around her and let out all of the emotion he was keeping locked in.

She kept her hold on him softly shushing him and calming him.

"It's okay. I'm here it was just a dream. A nightmare, it isn't real Shhh Shhh you're okay." She soothed him as he started to calm down. Until he finally passed out from the exhaustion of the dream and of his emotional purge. She smiled as she covered him back up then layed down beside him. Her eyes almost never leaving his face.

She had seen him like this before, the nightmares had been coming to him for a little while now. Just over a week ago he started to have the nightmares, all of them making him like he was, then exhausting him before he passes out again, the next morning he would wake up and not remember a thing. She was extremely worried about him but she didn't know what to do.

Tonight was different he had never screamed like that before. Usually he would cry out and since she was sleeping next to him most days, it would wake her up and she comforted him until he passed back out.

'It must have been because I wasn't sleeping with him tonight. That's why he screamed, he knows when I'm not sleeping next to him' She smiled a little sad smile. The idiot knew when she was next to him so he had to go and scream like that to make sure I would come rescue him.

She looked up at his face and leaned forward to kiss him on his cheek. "You always want to protect me, and protect everyone else too, thinking you don't need to be protected or saved. You're such a selfish person you know." She quietly chided him. "You need to be protected just like the rest of us, even more so because of how much we all need you."

She sighed as she got closer to him. Thinking if she should tell him about her feelings for him, even though they both knew how much they meant to each other.

Oh well she thought, guess we are both too scared to say it out loud yet. She leaned up one more time and gave Thanas one more kiss on his cheek. Before she closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful dreamless sleep.

(The next morning, at 11 a.m.)

Kira was curled up in the blankets unaware of the sunlight filtering through the window, and the body not next to her. Slowly she started to wake up and move the covers off of her she looked around rubbing her eyes to wake herself up a little faster when she realized something was amiss.

"Where did Thanas run off too…"She wondered aloud as she got up and put on her clothes. Sighing internally she walked out of the room and then out of the inn waving to the npc inn keeper.

She sighed out loud this time as she remembered this isn't the first time that he has just disappeared in the mornings. He had been doing this for about 5 weeks now, and she was getting annoyed, and was getting jealous. Who or what could be more important than him spending time with her in the mornings. She pouted as she thought of this.

"Damn jerk" She said under her breath. She could just look up where he is on the map but she knew he had a reason for doing what he is doing. And would tell her when the time was right. She put on her armor as she walked to the teleport gate deciding to go and do a little raiding today.

They had gotten to floor 24 and were fighting through the dungeon there, the front lines say it's not that bad and it's easy if you're at least level 30 which she was, but she didn't want to mess around with those idiots on the front line. Some of them were just so stupid. And they always hit on her too. That is a deal breaker as well.

Sighing again. If Thanas was around they wouldn't mess with her, one man tried before when she was around him. The man, let's just say his children felt it, and leave it at that. After that whole thing no one messed with her if Thanas was around.

She teleported to the 22nd floor and quickly started to run to the dungeon. Wanting to get some quick cash and hopefully some good healing items. Plus she always loved coming here. It was so beautiful.

On her way she was attacked by one of the random spawn monsters, not all that tough but still a pest, it was a giant ant so a real big pest. She raised her shield and let the ant slam into it hard which stunned it, then quickly she moved herself to its side and brought down her sharp edged side of her shield on to the ants neck, cutting straight through it, killing it.

"I love my shield" She said as she collected her loot. When she heard another battle going on not far from her.

"Wonder if that's Thanas." She mused out loud. Moving as quietly as she could she saw a small guild, and… Was that Kirito? She was kind of stunned but recovered quickly. Everyone on the front lines knew kirito. The Badass solo swordsman. A lot of people on the front lines really didn't like him because of him being a beta tester, but she didn't care Thanas was a former beta tester.

Smiling at the fact Kirito had finally got with a guild because even though she didn't know him very well she could see he was always lonely. She always wanted to talk to him and get to know him but something always held her back. Probably because she had told Thanas one day about it.

"Kirito will be fine, trust me. He always declines anyone who wants to get into parties with him and also stays away from guilds like they were the black plague. He will settle down sooner or later after he gets rid of his fear of being with others."

She sighed and smiled again. Thanas always could read people pretty well. Well most people. She pouted. 'Fucking dense asshole.' She thought.

-oo-

(About an hour later inside of the floor dungeon)

Walking through the dungeon, making her way towards the more unexplored parts of it since the place was extremely massive. She had noticed that people do not explore entire dungeons, at least not on these floors they have been on so far.

She rounded a corner when a group of mantis spawned in front of her, about 3 in all. There scythe hands clicking together as they came at her.

"Was wondering when you boys would actually show up, I was getting a bit lonely walking through here." She teased as she dodged the first strike, followed up by a block for the second one that came at her, then another block for the third mantis attack.

"You done? My turn." She said as she charged up her skill, a multi target combo that she picked up, she launched herself at the first mantis spearing it with her shield, pulling left she cut through its torso enacting the second strike that brings he shield around into the closest mantis cutting straight through its body, turning to face the last mantis which was close to her she crouched down and brought her shield up slicing it in half from bottom to top, then she did a final strike which she sliced through each of the mantises from left to right, all of them blowing up in succession.

"Sweet." She said breathing a little heavy, and smiling as she started walking again. Going through the money, exp, and items she got. 'Lot of useless stuff but still can make some money off of what I got.' She thought to herself, 'wonder what Thanas is up to right now' her mind sidetracking. 'I really hope he is okay.' She worried to herself. And completely losing track of where she was going.

When she finally looked up a sword was coming down at her. And it cut her straight through damaging her heavily. Taking away a forth of her health. She screamed as she fell back the pain of the cut reaching her brain. But she got her shield out just in time to block the next hit but another sword came from behind and took away another forth of her health. Jumping back from the monsters that attacked her she saw that they were a kind of hybrid monster with animal and human characteristics, one looked like a raccoon, and the other looked like a tiger. Both of them having armor on and wielding scimitars. Her monster scanning ability kicked in and showed that the monsters were level 30.

"Oh Shit" Was all she said but her mind was racing to figure out how she was going to win this fight, she already had half her health taken away which in itself was something to be scared about since her defense was insane… She shook her head and dispelled that thought, Okay two of them both strong both scimitar users. Which means there strikes will almost always be slashes.

The recovered from there recoil waiting time and came at her one at a time which she was able to use to block both of their strikes, both of them vertical slashes. Then they charged up there heavy horizontal strikes bringing It down on top of her shield making her go down a bit from the strikes but shooting recoil back at them stunning them for a few seconds which she used the time to attack using her multi target combo. She slashed the Tiger one first in the chest then brought herself around and diagonally sliced the Raccoon one from shoulder to hip, then brought her shield up slicing from crotch to head on the tiger after which she jumped up and brought her shield tip down and pierced the raccoon in the chest before jumping away from the two monsters bringing a heavy recoil delay.

She saw she only managed to get them to half health, and they were going to recover before she could move again. 'Damn, I thought I could win this one.' She thought sadly. The two monsters recovered and started coming at her there swords raised high above their heads, there sword skills charged up. 'I wish I could have said Goodbye to him at least. This seems so wrong to die like this, I hope he can forgive me, and I hope he doesn't hate himself.' She thought quickly but time seemed to slow to a standstill for her. Giving her time to think about her time with Thanas.

The moment didn't last as long as she hopped. The Blades both came down and she closed her eyes and felt an impact, but it wasn't the impact of blades but of a body, tackling her out of the way. She still had her eyes closed and some tears came out of her eyes, 'Thanas you saved me again'. But when she opened her eyes she saw a girl standing up. Taking out a few knifes from a belt wrapped around her body.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked her. Getting ready as the monsters started to walk towards them

"Yes I'm fine Thank you" She said as she stood up putting her shield in front of her.

"Where is your sword?" She asked Kira.

"I don't have one, just use my shield." Kira Replied.

"Wow, you are a real badass to take these guys on yourself, or just very stupid" She retorted, throwing her knifes at the Raccoon monster hitting it twice before she bolted to the side to dodge its blade, while the other slammed its blade into Kira shield.

"Thanks, I think" She said a little confused wondering if she could take that as a compliment or not. As she thought on that she spun around and hit the tigers face hard with the flat of her shield, then using her shield like an extra-longs, sharp fist brought her body around with her shield and hit it hard in its side, knocking its health down into the red.

Kira looked over at the other girl seeing she had gotten her target into the red as well, Kira for some reason was wanting to compete with this girl so to finish her target off quickly she charged up a penetration skill and slammed her shield into the Raccoons chest taking out the rest of its health and it bursting into polygons. At the same time the other girl ducked under the tigers vertical slice and brought a knife up into the things neck, and stabbed another one into its stomach, before she twisted both of the knifes dropping the tigers health to zero.

"Wow you're pretty badass too miss…" She said asking her name.

"Raven, My name is Raven." She said looking over at Kira, sheathing her knifes, and walking over to her.

"Raven?" She knew she heard that name before… Oh… OH. It's that girl that taught Thanas how to throw better. The one that made her worry like hell about him because he came home so fucking late. "You're the girl that taught Thanas how to throw." She said out loud. Pointing at her in the comitial anime style. Her eyes wide and her jaw wide open. She was insanely beautiful, in the emo, scene, kickass girl way.

Tilting her head and squinting at Kira, Raven said. "Oh you're that girl Kira that Thanas is in love with, I can see why he likes you. You are a pretty badass fighter and a very pretty one at that, I would even go for you if you weren't already spoken for." She said mildly, just as if she was commenting on the color of her shoes. She smiled and walked over to Kira holding her hand out. "Nice to meet you"

Kira just stood there completely stunned, her face bright red and her mind blank except for the comment about Thanas being in love with her, (Also just a bit stunned at the lesbian bit too).

"Wha… uh… how…. What?!" She finally managed to get out. Shaking her head she slowly took her hand and shook it.

As she is trying to get out a single word. Raven tries not to laugh at the comedic face Kira was sporting. "Look I'm not going to try to steal him, he is cool and really really awesome but I know how much he cares for you." She smiled sincerely. "You see I'm a very blunt person about things and will just tell how I feel just out right. Also I won't get in the way of two people in this world. This place is too fucked up." She explained. When she was done Kira finally recovered a little bit.

"Umm thank you… I guess. For everything." She finally managed to get out. "It means a lot to me that you would do all of that, even though we barely know each other…" She still was trying to process all this, so she didn't have any competition like she thought, Thanas was in love with her, and he wasn't with this girl. So where the hell is he?

After a few more minutes of brooding over what just happened. They both sat down in one of the corridors that had no monster spawns, to talk and get to know one another more.

"So since you're here and Thanas isn't with you do you know where he is?" Kira ask Raven.

"No I don't actually. I've checked my friends list and he is still alive, I just can't see where he is on the map. That kind of has me concerned but he seems to know what he is doing most of the time." She said, a little edge of worry in her voice.

"He almost never knows what he is doing actually." She said rolling her eyes. "He practically just wings it every single time, getting into fights left and right I have to save his ass from, when we were fighting the floor 20 boss the idiot got in front of me to protect me from a hit that wouldn't have even hurt me… least that's what I thought… When he jumped in front of me to protect me the shockwave from the bosses hit to him was enough to blow back my shield, he took such heavy damage I thought he was going to die… "She said the memory playing back in her head. "But the idiot just got up and said. 'It's all good'. And continued to fight. I didn't look at his HP bar because I knew it was next to empty."

"He seems like a real big idiot." Raven agreed and both girls started to laugh at their stupid best friend. "He has come to check on me every so often, and get more lessons. Nothing major ever happens we mostly just talk, telling each other about our adventures." She said bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "But we sometimes talk about real life, he wants to go back so he can continue to do what he loves, and see the people he loves. Including you, but I don't want to go back. This place is a new start for me. I hated my old life. It was so full, hate, anger, resentment, loss and grief. I was miserable." She told Kira curling in on herself even more, as she talked.

Kira looked at the girl who seemed so strong, so much like a badass completely fall apart, and she did the only thing she knew she could. She hugged the teenage girl.

"I understand Raven, I feel the same way." Was all she said and to Raven it was all she needed to hear to trust this girl. Her voice echoed the same sadness inside of her heart, and the same want for a new life.

"Come on let's get back to the town you can stay with me and Thanas if he ever gets back." She said getting up and offering her a hand.

Raven looked up at her and took her hand standing up she smiled. "Thanks lets go."

Both of the girls got out of the dungeon without much trouble, and headed back to the town.

"I wonder what Thanas will think when he sees us two talking and hanging out." Raven wondered aloud.

"He is probably going to think we are conspiring to kill him. "She said laughing as they walked, and raven joined her in her laughing.

A/N Hello everyone, thanks for reading up to this point and I know this probably isn't my best work, but I wanted to try to get the two main girls to meet up and bond. Hope you enjoyed and I will try to have another chapter out next week. Please leave a review, and have a nice day.


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